Transcript No Slide Title

Leadership Learning . . .
A Leap of Faith
Laurie Hillis, MA
Megatrain, Inc., Calgary
The Opening Metaphor
About A Leap of Faith …
• To quantify which learning interventions
had the most impact on individuals and
their ability to operationalize their learned
behaviours on-the-job
• To develop practical strategies to
maximize the value of learning in the
workplace at three levels: for sponsoring
organizations; for program designers,
faculty and facilitators; and for individual
learners
What’s the Point?
In simple terms… Laurie’s questions
were...
• Can leadership be taught?
• Can leadership learning be measured?
• Do people remember what they’ve learned?
• Do people apply what they’ve learned?
How is Learning Measured in Your
Organization?
• Much research and dialogue about
measuring learning…
• Share your organization’s method
of measuring the success of
learning strategies in the
workplace
• Debrief
The Research
A partnership between:
– The Alberta Treasury Branches
– Leadership Development at
The Banff Centre
– Royal Roads University MA LT Program
– Conducted with learners who had
completed a week-long residential
leadership program
– Total of 358 learners who took part in 15
training program over 6 months
4-Step Building Block Approach
Conger’s Leadership Learning Framework:
1 Conceptual overview
2 Feedback to understand their strengths/growth
areas in relation to the required skills
3 Skill building activities for teachable skills
4 Personal growth experiences
Elements of artistry, adventure and personal
risk taking
~ J. Conger, Learning to Lead, 1992
Kirkpatrick’s Model
Kirkpatrick’s four level program
evaluation framework:
–
–
–
–
Level 1:
Level 2:
Level 3:
Level 4:
Reaction
Learning
Behavior
Results
~ D. Kirkpatrick, Evaluating Training Programs, 1994
The Research Question
What interventions in a leadership
development program make a
difference to participants’ learning and
their ability to demonstrate that
learning on the job six to ten months
post-training?
Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research
(Action Research)
Quantitative Research
– written program survey
– numeric rating and qualitative open-ended questions
– 25% return ratio; gender composition was
representative 31% females and 64% males
Qualitative Research
–
–
–
–
focus groups
1:1 individual interviews
anecdotal stories, letters, e-mails and conversations
researcher’s learning journal
Survey Results
• Survey results reported impact to the
learners by:
– Program components
– Program modules
– Gender, tenure, by job position, and by
tenure in job position
0.5
0
r Supp o
rt in the
Progra
m
Smal l G
ro up In
teractio
ns
Stren gt
h Depl o
yment
Invento
ry
Ou tdoo
r Ro pes
Co urse
Learn in
g Style
s Instru
men t
Th e Ba
nff Env
ironme
nt
Th e Fa
cu lty in
the Pro
g ram
Th inkin
g Style
s In stru
ment
Th e Oth
er Lear
n ers
360O C
o mp ete
ncy Ma
p
Combin
ati on o
f So me
o f the C
ompon
Op port
en ts
un ities
to try N
ew Beh
avi ours
Person
OT J
al Learn
ing Con
tract Pr
o cess
Learn in
g Partn
ership s
Du ri ng
Pro gram
Pre-Co
u rse Pa
ckage
Fo llo w
u p Tele
ph one
Call
Learn in
g Journ
als
Sup por
t i n th e
Workpla
ce
Learn in
g Partn
ership s
After .. .
Facili ta
to
Rated Impact
Program Components
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
Program Components – By Gender
hip and
Manage
L eader
sh ip
Thinkin
g
0
ment
ATB Ca
se Stud
y
Confl ic
t Resolu
tio n an
d Neg o
tiation
Empow
ermen t
and De
legatio
n
Ecosim
Simula
ti on (La
Shang ri
In doo r
a)
Lead er
ship Ch
alleng e
/Feed b
ack
Entrepr
en eu ri a
l Attitud
e
Peak P
erforma
nce Gu
ide
Re-En tr
y Plan n
in g
Creativ
ity Even
ing with
th e Arti
sts
Leaders
Change
System
s
Rated Impact
Program Modules
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
Program Modules 6-10 Months
Post-Program
Program Modules
6-10
Month
Post
Program
Survey
Immediate
Post
Program
Evaluations
Percentage of
Increase or
Decrease
Systems Thinking
87%
82%
+5% largest
increase
Change Leadership
86%
84%
+2%
Leadership and Management
85%
82%
+3%
ATB Case Study
82%
88%
-6%
Conflict Resolution and Negotiation
81%
80%
+1%
Empowerment and Delegation
80%
84%
-4%
Ecosim Simulation (La Shangria)
78%
80%
-2%
Indoor Leadership Challenge/Feedback
77%
82%
-5%
Entrepreneurial Attitude
74%
80%
-6%
Peak Performance Guide
Re-Entry Planning
73%
73%
80%
82%
-7%
-9% largest
decrease
Creativity Evening with the Artists
67%
74%
-7%
Appreciative Inquiry Questions
ATB Learners said…
– Most Memorable Learning: identification of self /
self-knowledge, teamwork, and identification of others’
behaviour and how to interact with them
– What Made it Memorable: support and concern, self
confidence, group mix, the Banff environment,
facilitators and faculty, teamwork and learning from
others
– How Learning Translated into Leadership Behaviour:
encourage others, teamwork, manage own behaviour
and its impact, became a better listener and increased
self-confidence
Unanticipated Learning
ATB Learners said…
– 13 unanticipated themes..
– Most significant was the personal impact of the
learning, resulting in:
• being better parents; being more focused on
personal relationships; re-evaluating personal life;
Leading Toward 2000 program being the “glue”
during change; making new personal commitments;
• transformations .. “that wasn’t a course that was a
life experience… how do you explain?”
Ten Study Recommendations
For Sponsoring Organizations (5)
• Expect unanticipated individual and organizational
outcomes, be supportive with follow-up learning
• Formalize post-program organizational support
• Continue competency development and feedback
post-program
• Link past and future culture to keep the best people
in the organization
• Consider the benefits of learning off-site – reflection,
integration and networking
Ten Study Recommendations
For Program Designers, Faculty and Facilitators (4)
• Know the value of customized programs to successful
leadership development
• Carefully select the facilitators and faculty for the leadership
program’s success
• Include experiential learning, both indoor and outdoor
• Build self-awareness and self-assessment tools early into
leadership development programs
Ten Study Recommendations
For Individual Learners (1)
• Prepare yourself for transformational learning by
being open to new experiences, new competency
growth and perhaps unanticipated learning
From a Learner
“The word that I have used to describe my experience in
Banff has been ‘spiritual.’ I cannot recall a week where I
felt so totally immersed in what I was doing, and being
aware of what was going on around me. In fact, the bus
ride out of Banff, oddly enough, is memorable in that I felt
like I was letting go of the experience, wishing that it didn’t
have to end. This became my life for a week… nothing
compares to the way I became so totally engaged in the
experience of Leading Toward 2000.”
Thank you for your time and attention..
Phone
403-236-8009
Fax
403-236-9277
Mail
Laurie Hillis, MA, Megatrain Inc.
11512 Douglas Woods Rise S.E.
Calgary, AB T2Z 1Z9
or
Leadership Development at The Banff Centre
Box 1020
Banff, Alberta T1L 1H5
Email
laurie@megatrain.com
Web
banffleadership.com